Murderers' Row
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- Murderers' Row is also the title of a 1962 novel by David Hamilton and a 1966 motion picture, Murderers' Row based on the book starring Dean Martin as secret agent Matt Helm.
Murderers' Row was the nickname given to the New York Yankees baseball team of the late 1920s, in particular the 1927 team. The term was actually coined in 1918 by a sportwriter to describe the 1918 pre-Babe Ruth Yankee lineup, a team with quality hitters such as Frank Baker and Wally Pipp, and led the A.L. in home runs with 45. A 1918 newspaper article described it: "New York fans have come to know a section of the Yankees' batting order as 'murderers' row.' It is composed of the first six players in the batting order -- Gilhooley, Peckinpaugh, Baker, Pratt, Pipp, and Bodie. This sextet has been hammering the offerings of all comers."[link]
The term became revived for the Ruth, Lou Gehrig Yankee teams beginning in the mid-1920's, and was much more an appropriate term for this Yankee lineup (that produced some astounding offensive numbers) than for the earlier 1919 squad. The 1927 Yankees are recognized as one of the best teams in baseball history, alongside the Big Red Machine of the Cincinnati Reds.
Owner Jacob Ruppert is the man most often credited for building the line-up of the team, although general manager Ed Barrow may have had as much to do with it. In a July series against the Washington Senators, the Yankees blasted their opponents 21-1 in one game and prompted Senators' first baseman Joe Judge to say, "Those fellows not only beat you but they tear your heart out. I wish the season was over."
The 1927 season was particularly spectacular by baseball standards for the Yankees. After losing in the 1926 World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals, they went 110–44 the next year, winning the A.L. pennant by 19 games, and sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1927 World Series. Only four teams have won more regular season games (the record of 116 is held by the 2001 Seattle Mariners and the 1906 Chicago Cubs).
The '27 Yankees batted .307, slugged .489, scored 975 runs, and outscored their opponents by a record 376 runs. Center fielder Earle Combs had a career year, batting .356 with 231 hits, leftfielder Bob Meusel batted .337 with 103 RBIs, and second baseman Tony Lazzeri drove in 102 runs. Lou Gehrig batted .373, with 218 hits, 52 doubles, 18 triples, 47 home runs, 175 RBIs, slugged at .765, and was voted A.L. MVP. Babe Ruth had arguably the finest year of his career. He amassed a .356 Batting Average, 164 RBIs, 158 runs scored, walked 137 times, and slugged .772. Most notably, his 60 home runs that year broke his own record and remained the Major League mark for 34 years until Roger Maris broke it.
The pitching staff led the league in ERA at 3.20, and included Waite Hoyt, who went 22–7, and Herb Pennock, who went 19–8. Wilcy Moore won 19 as a reliever. The 1927 Yankees would eventually send six players to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Pitcher Waite Hoyt tied for the league lead in wins with 22. Three other Yankees pitchers had ERAs under 3.00 that season.
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